Foot pad



` Nov. 9, 1937. w. M. scHoLL 2,098,312

FOOT PAD Filed NOV. l1, 1955 Patented Nov. 9, 1937 FOOT PAD William M. Scholl, Chicago, Ill.

Application November 1l, 1935, Serial No. 49,168

2 Claims.

My invention relates to foot pads for protecting or treating sensitive places on the human foot, such as corns, calluses, bunions, and chafed areas, and more particularly to pads of this character which are composed of a plurality of adhesively united and superimposed plies of fabric or other iiexible material.

Pads which are customarily used to protect sore or tender spots on the toes or feet are generally composed of superimposed layers adhesively united together and with the under surface of the lower layer having a coating of adhesive material to facilitate the fixation of the pad on the skin. These pads may have any desired marginal outline, but they are ordinarily so cut that the uppermost ply is imperforate while the lowermost plies are cut away to provide a shielding recess for receiving the sensitive' portion of the skin.

In order to improve the cushioning action of pads when used in the treatment of sensitive places on the foot, there is frequently incorporated in the pad one or more layers or plies of felt, cotton padding or the equivalent. This cushion element either extends to the marginal edge of the pad or is otherwise insufficiently protected when exposed to the deteriorating action of moisture, such as when the foot is immersed in water. When the cushion layer becomes soaked with water, the pad becomes uncomfortable and unfit for continued use, because the cushion element naps down and becomes hard. Y

It is therefore one object of my invention to devise a foot pad of the adhesively united plies or layers type having a cushioning element which is definitely sealed and protected against moisture.

A further object is to provide a pad of the foregoing character in which the sealing of the cushioning element is accomplished by the adhesion of at least two of the sticky coated plies of the pad, one of which is the cover ply composed of a material impervious to water, and in which the margin of the cover ply is further beveled or sloped to eliminate the sharp shoulder that would otherwise be present and which is a frequent source of irritation.

A further object is to devise a foot pad in which the shielding recess is formed by bowing one or more of the lower plies upwardly through the perforation of the intermediate structure towards the cover ply, thereby providing a socketshaped recess that is free of irritation and enabling a thicker cushion element to be used.

A further object is to provide a foot pad which (Cl. 12S-153) is provided with a medicated fabric ply that may be suitably impregnated or coated with antiseptic or a healing agent.

A further object is to devise a foot pad as indicated in which a graduated pressure relief for the tender area of the foot being treated is af-V forded by successively decreasing the areas Vof the perforations dening the shielding recess of the pad from the bottom toward the top of the pad.

These and further objects of my invention will be set forth in the following specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, and the novel means by which said objects are effectuated will be denitely pointed out in the claims.

In the drawing: Y l

Figure `1 is a plan View of my improved padA as viewed from the, exposed side thereof and showing the same mounted upon the Vcustomary carrying strip of gauze, crinoline, or the like.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the pad looking at the under or foot-contacting side of the pad.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged, sectional elevation along the line 2--2 in Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows, showing the stepped construction of the shielding recess and the sealing `of the outer marginal edge of the cushioning element.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3, but showing a modified type of padwhich is provided with a medicated gauze or fabric ply.

Figs. 5 and 6 are sectional views of other modiiied types, the former showing an unstepped, shielding recess, while the latter illustrates a convex shielding recess formed by bowing the lower ply upwardly through the usual perforation in the intermediate ply or plies.

Referring to the drawing, the numeral l!) designates the usual carrying strip of gauze or crinoline which is commonly employed for holding pads or plasters provided with an adhesive surface by which they are attached to the body of the user. In this case, the pad is designated by the numeral l! and is indicated as being ofthe conventional oval corn or bunion pad shape, although the precise marginal outline of the pad forms no part of the present invention.

The pad is generally composed of a plurality of adhesively united plies whose number may be varied as desired in order to secure an appropriate thickness, it being understood that at least one of the plies is composed o1" felt, or generally any fabric that is napped sufcient to provide a soft and springy resistance to pressure, thus providing an effective cushioning structure for readhesive coating possesses aviscous, sticky charv lieving pressure on and preventing rubbing of the sensitive portion of the foot being treated.

Accordingly, the pad comprises ak base ply i2 which is eut to the desired shape and whose under surface is provided with an Vadhesive coating in order to insure its fixation on the skin. This acter and this characteristic is retained in the pads after manufacture and during their period of use. The ply I2 is also apertured as at i3 and overlying the ply I2 and symmetrically disposed with reference thereto is a cushion ply I4, composed of felt or a material having equivalent cushioning characteristics, the outer marginal edge I 5 of the ply I4 being located inwardly of the corresponding edge of the ply I2 for a purpose hereinafter explained. The ply I4 is also apertured as at I6 and the under surface thereof carries a layer Il of suitable adhesive material, or the cushionY ply I4 may be provided with an adhesive under surface or coating by means of which the ply is adhesively and xedly united to the base ply I2. The axes of the two apertures are aligned and thus form a shielding recess i3 which is intended to receive the skin portion to of the skin can be more readily received within.

the recess and that .the body of the pad will more easily conform -to the curvature of the skin portion with a consequent and added pressure relief over existing structures.

A cover ply I9, composed generally of a material that is impervious to water, such as a rubberized fabric, is adhesively united to the upper surface of. the cushion ply I4 and Voverlies the shielding recess I8. The edge of the ply I9 extends beyond the outer marginal edge of the cushion ply and is bent downwardly and adhered to the exposed portion 2! of the base ply I2 which extends beyond the edge I5 of the cushion ply i4. The extending portion of the cover ply I9 is designated by the numeral 2!! and it will-be noted from Fig. 3 that the portionsY 2B and 2| deine a band that provides a very deiinite seal against the ingress of moisture or egress of adhesive substance to the otherwise vexposed outer marginal edge of the cushion ply I4. For example, in an oval pad whose major and minor axes have lengths of two and one and one-half inches, respectively, the width of the sealing band may be of the orderV of one-eighth of an inch. This dimension may be varied as desired, dependent upon theV thickness and/or size of the pad, but will in all cases be sufficiently wide to insure the rm adhesion of the indicated portions of theV cover and base plies. 'Ihis seal extends completely around the pad, so that when the latter is'in position on the wearers foot, the cushion ply I4 is completely protected, notwithstanding that the foot may be immersed in water.V Sealing the edges also prevents any of the adhesive substance with the obtaining of a substantial cushioning effect. Felt or heavily napped fabric have been found suitable for this purpose and the sealing protection provided for the cushion layer I4 effectively prevents the subsequent hardening or napping down of the material comprising the cushion ply that would otherwise result from the absorption or moisture by the cushion.

' This sealing characteristic of myV improved pad is associated with the sloping margin 22 heretofore described and with the stepped construction of the shielding recess i8, thus providing a foot pad which is not only characterized by a substantial cushioning capacity, but-'also one that will readily conform to the curvature of the indicated places on the foot and hence will provide a certain preciseness in pressure relief to the tender Y areas.

In Fig. 4 is illustrated a modified type of pad 23 which is substantially identical with that illustrated in Fig. 3, except that a medicated ply composed of gauze, surgical dressing fabric, or equivalent material is interposed between the cover and cushion plies so as to overlie the shielding recess of the pad. This medicated ply 24 maybe suitably treated, 4as by impregnation or coating, with a local anodyne, such as is customarilyV employed in foot pads, or with a suitable antisepticV or healing agent. A pad of the type illustrated in Fig. 4 will therefore not only embody the cushioning characteristics already described, but will also be provided with suitable medication for the treatment of the tender areas of the foot. Moreover, the medicatedfabric ply will be located in a position that will also be protected and sealed against the ingress of moisture when the pad is on the foot.

In Fig. 5 is illustrated a further modified type of pad 25 which is provided with a straight walled;

shielding recess 26 formed by simply perforating a base ply 2l and a cushion ply or element 28 in accordance with usual practice. The base ply 21 may be adhesively coated or otherwise condi- Vin Fig. 6 which employes a cushion element 32 that may be formed by superimposed layers of Vthe material to which reference has already been made and which is perforated as at 33. Underlying the cushion element 32 is a base ply 34 that is suitably treated as already noted for aiiixation Y to the skin and whose intermediate portion is bowed upwardly as at 35 through the perforation 33 toward the cover ply 36, thus forming a.

' socket or dome-shaped shielding recess 3l. The upper surface of the cushion element 32 may be rounded to enable the cover ply 36 to assume the convex shape shown and the .periphery of the cover ply 36 extends beyond the periphery of the cushion element 32 for sealing aiiixation to the similarly extending portion of the base ply 34,

as indicated by the numeral 38. The non-perforated base ply type of pad illustrated in Fig. 6 provides an entirely satisfactory. construction for foot pads and is particularly desirable Where a rather thick cushion structure is preferred.

It will be understood that notwithstanding that the particular disclosure of this application relates to a foot pad, the essential features of the present invention are likewise adapted for and capable of use in connection with medical pads in general, such as are frequently required for surgical dressings which require a cushioning element of Some type and a protective covering therefor.

I claim:

1. A pad for application to the human body comprising a thin, perforated base ply having one surface coated for adhesive attachment to the body skin, a fibrous, cushion element unitedY to the opposite surface and lying Within the marginal edge of the base ply and having a perforation registering with the perforation of the base ply to form the shielding recess of the pad, and a thin, imperforate, water-proof, cover ply overlying the recessy and extending beyond the marginaledge of the element, the extending portions' of the plies being adhered together to seal the element against moisture penetration When the pad is in position on the skin.

2. A pad for application to the human body comprising a thin, perforated base ply having one surface coated for adhesive attachment to the body skin, a substantially flat, fibrous, cushion element lying Within the marginal edge of the base ply and having a perforation registering with the perforation of the base ply to form the shielding recess of the pad, and a thin, imperforate, Water-proof, cover ply overlying the recess and extending beyond the marginal edge of the element, the element being adhered to one of the plies and the extending portions of the plies being adhered together to seal the element against moisture penetration when the pad is in position on the skin, the marginal edge of the cover ply terminating at the marginal edge of the base ply to form and stiffen the edge of the pad.

WILLIAM M. SCHOLL. 

